Fraxinus latifolia (Oregon Ash)

Native to western North America, Fraxinus latifolia (Oregon Ash) is a magnificent, large, deciduous tree with a straight trunk and a dense, narrow crown. The foliage of compound pinnate, light green leaves contains 5-9 leaflets, which turn clear yellow in the fall. The young bark is thin, smooth, and gray-green, becoming gray-brown, thick and furrowed with age. In spring, before the leaves emerge, inconspicuous greenish male and female flowers appear in dense, glabrous panicles on separate trees. The female flowers are followed by dense clusters of hanging samaras, 2 in. long (5 cm), that ripen in fall. Long-lived (250 years), Oregon Ash is a splendid shade tree or specimen tree for a large landscape. Prized for its beautiful symmetrical shape, rapid growth, and hardiness, Oregon Ash has been widely planted as an ornamental tree and street tree. It is also excellent for revegetating wet, lowland areas. Birds and squirrels eat the seeds.

• Grows up to 60-80 ft. tall and 50 ft. wide (15 m).
• A full sun to part shade lover, this plant is easily grown in humus-rich, moist to wet soil soils. It survives standing water in winter months and, when established, need not be watered during the summer.
• Perfect as a specimen plant.
• Keep an eye our for caterpillars and scale insects, anthracnose, root rot, rust, sooty mold, and verticillium wilt. Not deer palatable.
• Propagate by seeds sown outdoors after collection or stored and stratified, then sown in spring.
• Native to California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia.